Things We Love

Embark on a culinary journey through Japan with a recipe so seductive and savory, we venture to say this curious pairing is divinely delicious.

Culturally rich and classically comforting, this recipe for ramen noodles is a warm, flavorful, and satisfying dish with a wealth of tasty ingredients that you can customize to your heart’s (and palate’s) desire.

Unlike traditional Japanese cuisine that dates back centuries, the ramen noodle is a relatively new addition to Japan’s culinary repertoire and first appeared in the early 1900s. Today, it’s a quintessential Japanese staple that has gained considerable popularity stateside as well.

Your journey begins with a vibrant meat or fish-based broth that’s flavored with soy or miso. From there, ramen noodles are added, along with mix-ins and toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, bok choy, green onions, and more. When whipping up your own ramen, feel free to add your own creative flair to the recipe.

This curious dish is so exotically sumptuous — especially when paired with Ménage a Trois Lavish — it will no doubt become the talk of the table.

Your curiosity for exploring delicious ethnic cuisine has been served. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Japanese Ramen
1 serving of ramen noodles with choice of soup

Ingredients: For the Soup
– 1 tablespoon oil
– 1 white onion, sliced
– 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated
– 5 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
– 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
– 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
– 1 tablespoon fish sauce
– ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
– ¼ cup rice vinegar
– 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
– ½ pound baby bok choy, sliced into quarters lengthwise
– 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
– 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
– 1 cup water
– 2 packages fresh yakisoba noodles

Ingredients: For Ramen Egg
– 4 eggs
– ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
– ¼ cup rice vinegar
– 1 cup water

Additional toppings (optional)
– Sliced green onion
– Cilantro
– Chili garlic sauce
– Sesame seeds
– Lime wedges

Instructions: To prepare the ramen egg:
1. Whisk together ¼ cup of soy sauce, ¼ cup of rice vinegar, and 1 cup water. Set aside.
2. Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and water.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil (make sure there is enough water to cover the eggs). Cook for seven minutes, then remove from pot and place eggs in the ice bath. Leave in the ice bath for 3 minutes. Remove from ice bath and gently peel (the egg will be soft). Place peeled eggs in the marinade and make sure they are completely covered with the marinade. Leave in the marinade for several hours or overnight.
To prepare the noodles:
1. If using another type of noodle, follow package instructions. If using fresh noodles, see below.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add the noodles and simmer for 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water. Toss with just a little oil to keep them from sticking. Set aside.

To prepare the soup:
1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and sauté until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant so that they don’t burn. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer.
2. When broth reaches a simmer, add the chicken thighs. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.
3. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add the chicken back to the broth along with the bok choy, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

To serve the ramen:
1. In a bowl, place a serving of noodles and then pour the soup over the noodles.
2. Top the soup with ramen egg, sliced green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds, if desired.